Media Release

Parents set to get better information about children's learning

14 November, 2017

Parents
will have better information about their children's learning following
Government assurances today that schools will be required to report on
the full curriculum - not just children's results in the three National
Standards subjects, says NZEI Te Riu Roa.

Education Minister
Chris Hipkins today assured Parliament that the replacement for National
Standards will be a requirement for schools to report to parents on
their children's progress in all areas of the curriculum.

"This
will have a hugely positive influence on children's learning, which
repeated studies have shown has been restricted by a narrow focus on
success in National Standards," NZEI president Lynda Stuart said.

"While
there has been some questions about what will replace National
Standards, the fact is the standards were never needed in the first
place. Schools reported on the full breadth of the curriculum before the
standards were introduced, and teachers will be delighted to do that
again.

"Its about time that children are encouraged to explore
the full, rich curriculum , without schools feeling pressured to focus
largely on only the three subjects the former Government considered
worthy of measurement.

"Our members welcome the return to quality
reporting about children's learning and look forward to hearing when
they will no longer be required to report National Standards to the
Ministry.

"We look forward to seeing the full timetable for the
scrapping of compulsory national standards,which the Minister says is
with Cabinet for signoff now," Ms Stuart said